EMERGING AND CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL PROCESSES IN THE PRESERVATION OF ARTISANAL NATURAL JUICES
Keywords:
Artisanal Juices, Juice Preservation, Non-Thermal Technologies, Physical Methods, Microbial Load ReductionAbstract
Physical preservation methods play a fundamental role in reducing microbial load and extending the shelf life of artisanal natural juices, balancing microbiological safety with the preservation of the product’s sensory and nutritional characteristics. These methods operate through mechanisms of microbial inactivation or inhibition without the direct addition of chemical substances, which makes them particularly attractive in the context of artisanal production, where the perception of naturalness is highly valued by consumers. Among conventional physical processes, thermal pasteurization remains the reference technology due to its high effectiveness in inactivating pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, although it may cause nutritional losses and sensory changes when improperly applied. Low-temperature preservation methods, such as refrigeration and freezing, act mainly in an inhibitory manner, reducing microbial metabolic activity and slowing chemical and enzymatic reactions, and are more effective when combined with other technological barriers. Emerging non-thermal technologies, such as UV-C radiation, membrane filtration, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, and high-pressure homogenization, have been widely studied for their ability to reduce microbial load with less impact on thermosensitive compounds and sensory attributes. However, the effectiveness of these methods is strongly dependent on juice characteristics, operational conditions, and the resistance of the microorganisms present. These approaches allow the optimization of microbiological efficiency, the minimization of adverse effects on product quality, and the technical feasibility of preserving artisanal natural juices.
